LONDON (AP) – David Silva scored twice as defending champion Manchester City continued to fight for their title, beating Crystal Palace 3-0 today to draw level provisionally with Chelsea at the top of the Premier League.
Playing without a recognised striker, City reeled off their sixth league win in succession and eighth in all competitions, one short of equalling the club record.
It was a performance that made clear Chelsea face a mounting challenge to stay on top as the league heads into its traditionally intense programme of Christmas and New Year fixtures.
Silva struck after 49 and 61 minutes to put City in command following a listless first half and Yaya Toure swept in a third goal with ten minutes remaining on a day when neighbour and rival Manchester United’s six-match winning streak came to a halt with a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.
City manager Manuel Pellegrini said: “It was a very good win … I enjoyed the way the team worked the whole week – to work in a different way without strikers.”
Villa, without a victory over United at Villa Park in 18 games since 1995, went ahead thanks to a spectacular first-half goal by Christian Benteke, but were pushed back in the second half when Radamel Falcao equalised with a header and played the final 25 minutes with ten men after Gabriel Agbonlahor was sent off.
Both Chelsea and City have 39 points, but City have played one more game than Chelsea, which travel to Stoke City on Monday. Chelsea top the league with a superior goal difference of 23 to City’s 22 while United remains third with 32 points.
Other scores:
Swansea 1, Hull 0
Queen’s Park Rangers 3, West Bromwich Albion 2
Southampton 3, Everton 0
Tottenham 2, Burnley 1
West Ham 2, Leicester 0
